Cite as: Cook, J., Lewandowsky, S., & Ecker, U. K. (2017). Neutralizing misinformation through inoculation: Exposing misleading argumentation techniques reduces their influence. PloS One, 12(5), e0175799. Neutralizing misinformation through inoculation: exposing misleading argumentation techniques reduces their influence John Cook1,2* Stephan Lewandowsky3,2, Ullrich K. H. Ecker2 1 Center for Climate Change Communication, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA 2 School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia 3 School of Experimental Psychology and Cabot Institute, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK * Corresponding author Email:
[email protected] Running head: NEUTRALIZING MISINFORMATION 2 1 Abstract 2 Misinformation can undermine a well-functioning democracy. For example, public 3 misconceptions about climate change can lead to lowered acceptance of the reality of climate 4 change and lowered support for mitigation policies. This study experimentally explored the 5 impact of misinformation about climate change and tested several pre-emptive interventions 6 designed to reduce the influence of misinformation. We found that false-balance media coverage 7 (giving contrarian views equal voice with climate scientists) lowered perceived consensus 8 overall, although the effect was greater among free-market supporters. Likewise, misinformation 9 that confuses people about the level of scientific agreement regarding anthropogenic global 10 warming (AGW) had a polarizing effect, with free-market supporters reducing their acceptance 11 of AGW and those with low free-market support increasing their acceptance of AGW. However, 12 we found that inoculating messages that (1) explain the flawed argumentation technique used in 13 the misinformation or that (2) highlight the scientific consensus on climate change were effective 14 in neutralizing those adverse effects of misinformation.